History of Cosmetics

Cosmetics are an integral part of Egyptian hygiene and health—first proof of sacred oil (olive oil, castor oil). In Egypt, men and women use scented oils and ointments to clean and soften their skin and mask body odor. They used castor oil as a protective balm—the world's first anti-wrinkle serums. Oils and creams are used for protection against the hot Egyptian sun and dry winds. Myrrh, thyme, marjoram, chamomile, lavender, lily, peppermint, rosemary, cedar, rose, aloe, olive oil, sesame oil, and almond oil provide the essential ingredients of most perfumes Egyptians use in religious rituals. For example, priests during religious traditions often anointed statues of gods with scented oils. They even applied them to make up for them. The demand for these cosmetic products some temples produced their own, notably at Karnak where scented oil was manufactured, and wall inscriptions show several different recipes.

Both men and women used ointment, a substance that softened the skin and prevented the burning of the sun and limited damage from the sandy winds. Egyptian women apply galena mesdemet (made of copper and lead ore) and malachite (bright green paste of copper minerals) to their faces for color and definition. They use kohl (a combination of burnt almonds, oxidized copper, different colored coppers, ores, lead, ash, and ochre) to adorn the eyes in an almond shape. Also, they decorated their eyes by applying dark green to the under the lid and using kohl to outline the eyes. The Egyptians believed that using kohl around their eyes would ward off the evil eye. Women carry cosmetics to parties in makeup boxes and keep them under their chairs.

Women in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) started manufacturing the first manufactured cosmetic products in the world.

Among many ceremonial items found in the five-thousand-year-old Egyptian tombs, few are thought to be palettes used for grinding cosmetic ingredients.

The Chinese stain their fingernails with gum arabic, gelatin, beeswax, and egg. The colors are used to represent social class: Chou dynasty royals wear gold and silver, with subsequent royals wearing black or red. Lower classes are forbidden to wear bright colors on their nails. In China, for example, ordinary people were executed if they were caught wearing nail polish in public (that was only the privilege of the rich). In Japan, noblewomen were forbidden to walk in public without full-body cosmetic treatment. Grecian women paint their faces with white lead and apply crushed mulberries as rouge. The application of fake eyebrows, often made of oxen hair, is also fashionable. Red clay and water were used for lips and cheeks. Sometimes to create this staining effect, they squeezed out purple-red color from iodine and bromine. This combination of ingredients would lead to severe diseases and came to be known as "the kiss of death." They would also use fish scales to give their lipstick shimmer.

Cosmetic products became commonplace in Egypt. They were used by everyone except the lowest class of citizens and slaves. Aristocracy embraces the fashion of "white" skin, face mascara, and dark eyeliners. Priests integrated sacred oils into their religious and "magic" ceremonies. Chinese and Japanese citizens commonly use rice powder to make their faces white. Eyebrows are shaved off, teeth are painted gold or black, and henna dyes are applied to stain hair and faces.

Babylon became the biggest perfume trader in the ancient world.

Roman Empire females became enchanted with expensive foreign cosmetics, to the point when the Senate managed to bring the law that forbids its use. This law was active for only six years, before it was quickly repealed after enormous riches were brought into Rome from the sacked Carthage.

Christian females decided not to use too much cosmetics, which started the belief of the future Catholic Church that cosmetic products are items of heretics and devil worshipers, especially red lipsticks. Kings and queens made public statements that wearing cosmetics was not decent, and Church officials spread the belief that cosmetics are used only by heathens and satan worshipers. For the longest time, only stage actors were allowed to use them, but only during their performances.

In Rome, people put barley flour and butter on their pimples and sheep fat and blood on their fingernails for polish. In addition, mud baths come into vogue, and some Roman men dye their hair blonde.

Arab physician, surgeon, and chemist Abulcasis (also known as "father of the modern surgery") invented solid lipsticks, which could be applied to the lips without needing a paintbrush.

Cosmetic products slowly spread across Europe. Their use is still discouraged, but lower classes (especially prostitutes and feminine males) continue to use them in the next 800 years.

In Elizabethan England, dyed red hair came into fashion. Society women wear egg whites over their faces to create the appearance of a pale complexion. Some people believe, however, that cosmetics block proper circulation and therefore pose a health threat. 13th-century Italian women wore red lipstick to show that they were upper class.

Renaissance Cosmetics

Italy and France emerge as the main centers of cosmetics manufacturing in Europe, and only the aristocracy has access. Arsenic is sometimes used in face powder instead of lead. The modern notion of complex scent-making evolves in France. Early fragrances are amalgams of naturally occurring ingredients. Later, chemical processes for combining and testing scents surpass their arduous and labor-intensive predecessors.

European women often attempt to lighten their skin using a variety of products, including white lead paint. Queen Elizabeth I of England is one well-known user of white information with which she creates a look known as "the Mask of Youth." Sadly, their white paint contained toxic ingredients that could cause serious illnesses. Blonde hair rises in popularity as it is considered angelic. Mixtures of black sulfur, alum, and honey are painted onto the hair and lighten with sun exposure. During the later 16th century in the West, the personal attributes of the women who used makeup created a demand for the product among the upper class. Women would bleed themselves to achieve pale skin. 

19th and Early 20th Century Global Cosmetics Developments.

It was the most toxic period in the history of cosmetics. Zinc oxide becomes widely used as a facial powder, replacing the previously used deadly mixtures of lead and copper. One such variety, Ceruse, which is made from white information, is later discovered to be toxic and blamed for health problems, including facial tremors, muscle paralysis, and even death.

During the 1800s, when Queen Victoria came into power, she shunned the usage of makeup and cosmetics. The mentality was that only stage actresses and prostitutes wore a lot of makeup. During that time, the women preferred not to wear makeup when in public. The only slight makeup tool which was considered was a light layer of powder to enhance the complexion.

The 1900s saw the birth and the rise of many makeup companies.

In Edwardian Society, pressure increases on middle-aged women to appear youthful while acting as hostesses. As a result, cosmetics use increases but is not yet wholly popularized.

Beauty salons rise in popularity, though patronage of such salons is not widely accepted. Because many women do not wish to admit they have assistance achieving their youthful appearances publicly. They often enter salons through the back door.

IMPORTANT COSMETICS INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

Growth of the Industry

David McConnell founded the California Perfume Company (CPC), then located in New York. Over time, the company continues to grow and experiences great success, selling five million units in North America during World War I alone. In 1928, CPC sold its first products – toothbrush, powdered cleanser, and a vanity set – under the name by which it is commonly known today: Avon. The Avon line of cosmetics was introduced the following year, in 1929.

The industry's highly competitive nature drives a group led by New York perfumer Henry Dalley to found the Manufacturing Perfumers' Association. The group evolved and, after several name changes, is now known as the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC).

The number of U.S. firms manufacturing perfumery and toilet goods increased from 67 (in 1880) to 262. By 1900, cosmetics were in widespread use around the world, including the United States.

Max Factor, established in Los Angeles, specializes in the production of film actor cosmetics.

Eugene Schueller, a young French chemist, invents modern synthetic hair dye which he calls “Oréal.” In 1909, Schueller names his company Société Française de Teintures Inoffensives pour Cheveux (Safe Hair Dye Company of France), which today has become L’Oréal.

American women began to fashion their form of mascara by applying beads of wax to their eyelashes. Around 1910, makeup became fashionable in the United States of America and Europe due to ballet and theatre stars such as Mathilde Kschessinska and Sarah Bernhardt. Colored makeup was introduced in Paris upon the arrival of the Russian Ballet in 1910, where ochers and crimsons were the most typical shades.

World War I & Aftermath

The onset of World War I led to increased employment among American women. With more discretion over its use, this gain in disposable income leads to a boom in domestic cosmetics sales.

The Roaring 20s

The flapper look comes into fashion for the first time and, with it, increased cosmetics use: dark eyes, red lipstick, red nail polish, and the suntan, which is first noted as a fashion statement by Coco Chanel. Cosmetics and fragrances are manufactured and mass-marketed in America for the first time. Max Factor, a Polish-American cosmetician and former cosmetics expert for the Russian royal family, invents the word "makeup" and introduces Society Makeup to the general public, enabling women to emulate the looks of their favorite movie stars.

The first pressed powders were introduced and included a mirror and puff for touchups. The lipstick metal case, invented by Maurice Levy, was also presented and became very popular. Numerous African Americans participated in skin bleaching in an attempt to lighten their complexion as well as hair straightening to appear whiter. Skin bleaches and hair straighteners created fortunes worth millions. They accounted for a massive thirty to fifty percent of all advertisements in the black press of the decade.

A pound of face powder was sold annually for every woman in the U.S., and there were more than 1,500 face creams on the market. The concept of color harmony in makeup was introduced simultaneously. Significant cosmetics companies began producing integrated lines of lipsticks, fingernail lacquers, and foundations.

The Great Depression

Eugene Schueller (founder of L’Oréal) invented the first sunscreen. Despite its relative ineffectiveness, this development led to the invention of Glacier Cream by Austrian scientist Franz Greater. Introduced in 1938, this product is cited as the first commercially viable sun protection cream. In 1962, Greater introduced the concept for the Sun Protection Factor rating system (SPF), which has since become the worldwide standard for measuring the effectiveness of sunscreen.

World War II & Aftermath

Leg makeup was developed in response to a shortage of stockings during World War II.

The FDA is transferred from the Department of Agriculture to the Federal Security Agency, and Walter G. Campbell is appointed the first Commissioner of Food and Drugs.

Companies such as Procter & Gamble (who made products such as soap and laundry detergents) began to sponsor daytime television programs that will eventually be called "soap operas," the first of which was called These Are My Children.

The Modern Era of Cosmetics

Congress passed the Color Additive Amendments in response to an outbreak of illnesses in children caused by an orange Halloween candy, which requires manufacturers to establish the safety of color additives in foods, drugs, and cosmetics. The Amendments included the "Delaney Clause" that prohibited the use of color additives shown to be a human or animal carcinogen. "Natural" products based on botanical ingredients, such as carrot juice and watermelon extract, were first introduced. False eyelashes became popular.

Cosmetic surgery was used to reduce the signs of aging.

Congress enacts the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), which requires all consumer products in interstate commerce to be honestly and informatively labeled. The FDA enforces provisions on foods, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices.

In the feminist Miss America protest, protestors symbolically threw many feminine products into a "Freedom Trash Can." This included cosmetics, which the protestors called "instruments of female torture," and accouterments of what they perceived to be enforced femininity.

At least five companies started producing makeup for African American women. The Toilet Goods Association (TGA) changes its name to the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA).

Cosmetics in the 1970s were divided into a "natural look" for the day and a more sexualized image for the evening. Non-allergic makeup appeared when the bare face was in fashion as women became more interested in the chemical value of their makeup. Modern developments in technology, such as the High-shear mixer, facilitated the production of more natural-looking cosmetics and had greater staying power in wear than their predecessors.

In response to a citizen petition filed by the CTFA, the FDA Office of Colors and Cosmetics established the Voluntary Cosmetic Reporting Program (VCRP) in 1971. The VCRP is an FDA post-market reporting system for use by manufacturers, packers, and distributors of cosmetic products in commercial distribution in the United States; it demonstrated the industry's commitment to cosmetic safety and furthered the safety evaluation of cosmetic ingredients.

CTFA establishes the International Cosmetic Ingredient Nomenclature Committee (INC) – composed of dedicated scientists from industry, academia, regulatory authorities, and sister trade associations – to develop and assign uniform names for cosmetic ingredients. "INCI" names are uniform, systematic names internationally recognized to identify cosmetics ingredients that are published biennially in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook.

The environmental movement brings challenges to the cosmetics and fragrance industry. Some popular ingredients, including musk and ambergris, are banned following the enactment of endangered species protection legislation.

CTFA, with the support of the FDA and the Consumer Federation of America, establishes the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The goal of the CIR is to bring together worldwide published and unpublished data on the safety of cosmetics ingredients and for an independent expert panel to review that data subsequently. The seven-member board consists of scientists and physicians from dermatology, pharmacology, chemistry, and toxicology selected by a steering committee and publicly nominated by government agencies, industry, and consumers. The panel thoroughly reviews and assesses the safety of ingredients and ultimately publishes the final results in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Toxicology. Today, CIR has reviewed thousands of the most commonly used cosmetics ingredients.

The '80s saw a dramatic change from previous decades, where women typically wore natural and light makeup. Instead, the new order of the day was to experiment with heavy layers of bold, bright colors. Gone was the golden glow of the '70s, replaced by a foundation that was one or two shades lighter than women's natural skin tone. Smokey eyes in bright colors such as fuchsia, electric blue, orange, and green were hugely popular. The '80s were all about taking your look to the extreme, championed by superstars such as Madonna and Cyndi Lauper.

Concerns about contaminated makeup emerged late in the decade. An FDA report in 1989 found that more than five percent of cosmetics samples collected from department store counters were contaminated with mold, fungi, and pathogenic organisms.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons made efforts to increase public awareness about plastic surgery.

Animal testing for cosmetics continues to be a hot topic in the beauty industry, driven by consumer preferences. In June 1989, Avon became the first major cosmetics company in the world to announce a permanent end to animal testing of its products, including testing done in outside laboratories.

Other companies subsequently follow suit throughout the next decade, and efforts intensify to develop and gain governmental approvals for alternative methods to substantiate product safety. Makeup had become a must in many women's handbags. New lighter face skin foundations were being announced every month. Most of the cosmetics they sell can be easily bought from their internet site worldwide and delivered anywhere.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that more than two million Americans elected to undergo cosmetic procedures, both surgical and non-surgical. In 1998, liposuction was the most popular.

Breast augmentations ranked second, whole numbers three, four, and five went to eye surgery, face-lifts, and chemical peels.

The first-ever Cosmetics Harmonization and International Cooperation (CHIC) meeting were held in Brussels, Belgium. At the conference, representatives from the U.S. FDA; the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW); Health Canada; and Directorate General III of the European Union discuss broad cosmetics topics, including essential safety substantiation, exchange of data and information, development of an international alert system, and a global memorandum of cooperation.

Consumers in the early 2000s were pressed for time. As the pace of work and home life became more stressful and hectic, cosmetics and personal care products that emphasized relaxation but could still be used quickly constituted a strong category within the industry. Among these products are aromatherapy scented body washes and other liquid and gel soaps, which start to replace traditional bar soaps.

The industry experienced increased challenges, including product safety concerns, calls for scientific data to document product claims, increasing environmental concerns, and pressure from the growing animal rights movement. Congress began investigating possible revisions to the traditional "drug" and "cosmetic" definitions established under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) changes its name to the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC). PCPC supports numerous legislative initiatives in California, Massachusetts, and New York and launched Cosmeticsinfo.org to assist consumers in understanding the products they use and the industry's record of safety in the formulation of those products.

The International Cooperation on Cosmetics Regulation (ICCR) is established, comprised of a voluntary, international group of cosmetics regulatory authorities from Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the United States. This group of regulatory authorities meets annually to discuss common issues on cosmetics safety and regulation.

CIR has completed the scientific safety assessments of 5,278 ingredients since the program began. Findings continue to be published in the International Journal of Toxicology. Recognizing that sunscreens are considered "drugs" and therefore banned in schools, PCPC successfully spearheads a coalition of more than 30 stakeholders supporting state legislation that allows students to have and apply sunscreen at school.